Ever since Chicago’s earliest days, horse racing has been a popular sport in the region. At one point in time, Chicago had more race tracks than any other large city. But its focal point has always been the Arlington Park, a track in the Arlington Heights suburb. It was here that the first race with a million dollar reward took place, back in 1981.

The roots of Arlington Park go back to the year 1927, when over twenty thousand spectators gathered to enjoy the first race. From the very beginning, Arlington Park was known for its technological innovations. It is known as the first track to install a public address system. Clem McCarthy, the famous race caller, was hired to describe the race action to the crowd.

The season at Arlington Park Race Track still has two more months, but the number of euthanized horses has rocketed up to 17. To put that in perspective, 12 horses were euthanized last season. Just about all of the breakdowns have occurred at the same spot on the track. The culprit is the turn leading into the homestretch on the dirt track. Something is seriously wrong there. Joe King has been brought in to examine the fatal piece of track.